I stepped up this year and made reservations at The Herbfarm in Woodinville, Washington, as a Valentine’s Day gift to my wife. I’d heard through friends and family that it was a special place, but nothing prepared me for the absolutely stunning dining experience.
The Herbfarm’s concept is fairly simple, but dates back to the mid eighties, where the owners utilized various herbs from their own farm to treat guests to culinary delights. The original restaurant, located in a remodeled garage, burned down in 1997, only to be relocated to its current location in 2001. From the moment you walk in, you’re treated to a seamless, pampered but not pretentious experience by the skilled, experienced staff.
The evening started with a tour of the 25,000 bottle wine cellar, the largest collection of Pacific Northwest wines in the world. The guests were then herded into the lobby for an “indoor” herb garden tour, where the owner, Carrie Van Dyck, passed around various herb samples from that evening’s meal. We were then directed into the lavish, yet eclectic, dining room for the remainder of the four hour, nine course meal.
Owner Ron Zimmerman (husband of the duo) introduced the stunningly qualified staff, which ranged in culinary experience from The French Laundry to The White House. Next, Executive Chef Keith Luce and Sommelier Lisa Rongren talked through the menu and wine pairings. With formalities out of the way, the first course was delivered, and the wine flowed.
Highlights included generous amounts of Oregon wine and ingredients as well as a flight featuring a rare Australian Chambers Rosewood Muscat originated in 1880 and a 1912 Barbeito Bual Madeira dessert wine. While hardly a connoisseur of fine wines, I very much enjoyed every sip and savory morsel. I can’t recommend The Herbfarm enough… it’s a world class experience in our own backyard.
